Tradition with a Capital T- The Value of Campus Traditions

Taylor University Pillars at Taylor University Master of Arts in Higher Education Thesis Collection 2016 Tradition with a Capital "T": The Value of Campus Traditions Morgan K Morris Taylor University Follow this and additional works at: http://pillars.taylor.edu/mahe Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Morris, Morgan K., "Tradition with a Capital "T": The Value of Campus Traditions" (2016) Master of Arts in Higher Education Thesis Collection 13 http://pillars.taylor.edu/mahe/13 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by Pillars at Taylor University It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Arts in Higher Education Thesis Collection by an authorized administrator of Pillars at Taylor University For more information, please contact aschu@tayloru.edu TRADITION WITH A CAPITAL “T”: THE VALUE OF CAMPUS TRADITIONS _ A thesis Presented to The School of Social Sciences, Education & Business Department of Higher Education and Student Development Taylor University Upland, Indiana In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Development _ by Morgan K Morris May 2016  Morgan K Morris Higher Education and Student Development Taylor University Upland, Indiana CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL _ MASTER’S THESIS _ This is to certify that the Thesis of Morgan Kathryn Morris entitled Tradition with a Capital “T”: The Value of Campus Traditions has been approved by the Examining Committee for the thesis requirement for the Master of Arts degree in Higher Education and Student Development May 2016 Todd Ream, Ph.D Date Thesis Supervisor _ Steve Bedi, Ed.D Date Member, Thesis Hearing Committee _ Skip Trudeau, Ed.D Date Member, Thesis Hearing Committee Tim Herrmann, Ph.D Date Director, M.A in Higher Education and Student Development iii Abstract This study explored the value of campus traditions in higher education Literature regarding tradition and campus traditions has answered the question “what is tradition?”, analyzed the emphasis on tradition in the Southern United States, and investigated the role of tradition in higher education This original research sought to survey student, personnel, and general perceptions of the value of campus traditions in higher education through a qualitative, phenomenological approach focused on a single campus tradition In order to obtain a holistic perspective, the researcher conducted a review of archival resources and interviews with students, faculty, staff, and administrators connected to the campus tradition Three themes surfaced from the archival research regarding this campus tradition: change, growth, and criticism Five themes emerged from the interviews regarding the value of this tradition and campus traditions in general: community, bonding, unity, connections, and identity Based on these findings, several implications for practice and research also surfaced for higher education practitioners This research confirmed the value of campus traditions and identified their specific value in higher education iv Acknowledgements Thank you to my family, friends, mentors, professors, teachers, and others who believed in me Your support over the years has blessed me in ways you will never know To my parents, thank you for being the first to introduce me to campus traditions To my friends, thank you for sharing campus traditions with me To my thesis supervisor, Dr Todd Ream, thank you for walking alongside me throughout this journey Thank you all for encouraging me in this endeavor and for pointing me towards Christ Soli Deo Gloria To God Alone Be The Glory v Table of Contents Abstract iii Acknowledgements iv Chapter Introduction Purpose Statement Chapter Literature Review .3 What is Tradition? Tradition in the South Tradition in Higher Education Implications Tradition in Higher Education in the South .9 Chapter Methodology .12 Approach and Design .12 Context 12 Participants .13 Instruments .13 Procedures 14 Analysis 14 Summary 15 Chapter Results .16 vi Introduction 16 Archival Findings 16 Interview Findings 18 Conclusion .22 Chapter Discussion 23 Introduction 23 Discussion 23 Implications for Practice 24 Implications for Research 26 Limitations .27 Conclusion .28 References 29 Appendix A: Interview Questions .34 Appendix B: Consent Form .35 Chapter Introduction The room is dark until spotlights shine on two people on stage who share a few lines to introduce their group; the lights begin to dim again Soon, voices start to sing, lights come up, and music begins Brightly colored costumes, perfectly synchronized choreography, and medleys of clever parodies to popular songs cross the stage and fill the room Students continue in song and dance for several minutes with broad smiles across their faces This energetic, fun experience is Step Sing, a campus tradition at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama (“Sigma Chi ‘Alley Cats,’” 2015) Campus traditions exist throughout higher education, on virtually every college or university campus, with tradition defined as “the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation” (“Tradition,” n.d.) In essence, campus traditions entail events and practices repeated across generations of students “The idea of tradition on campus refers inevitably to connection—to the past, to people, to place ” (Bronner, 2012, p xiii) These connections prove significant as they allow students to come together and “feel a part of something larger than themselves” (p xiii) Many campus traditions center on athletics, while others focus on academics, Greek societies, or student clubs Regardless of their affiliation, campus traditions provide an essential aspect of the campus environment and folklore (Bronner, 2012) In particular, campus traditions reflect the campus culture, impacted by a variety of factors, including the surrounding community and region In the South, with its commitment to Southern history, the correlation between culture and tradition appears quite strong (Joyner, 1999) As individuals feel linked to their homeland, they too feel tied to the institutions of this homeland Campus traditions symbolize some ways this powerful connection is cultivated and passed from one generation to the next (Bronner, 2012) Whether they become directly involved or place student leaders in positions to so, higher education professionals must ensure their institutional traditions provide positive and meaningful experiences for students Campus traditions help build campus community, and higher education practitioners play key roles in upholding that community and preserving these traditions (Strange & Banning, 2001) Thus, campus traditions prove valuable for the meaning they carry beyond the college experience Not only campus traditions contribute to campus culture, but “a large part of American culture involves college tradition” (Bronner, 2012, p 6) A part of statewide and national societies, they carry an immense amount of value, defined as “the regard that something is held to deserve” (“Value,” n.d.) Campus traditions hold value in higher education Purpose Statement The present study sought to understand the value of campus traditions in higher education In particular, the study explored the campus tradition known as Step Sing at Samford University The study analyzed student and personnel perceptions of the value of campus traditions, guided by the following research questions: What is the student perception of the value of campus traditions? What is the personnel perception of the value of campus traditions? What is the value of campus traditions? 23 Chapter Discussion Introduction The Chronicle of Higher Education recently began a project to identify why campus traditions seem important and the value they bring to the student experience So far, they highlighted traditions including freshmen literally fighting their way through upperclassmen as they are welcomed to campus, the rescue and conquest of an institution near closure, and even a rat funeral In the future, the Chronicle plans to collect videos of campus traditions from around the country, documenting the context and perception of these traditions (Schmalz, 2015) One can only surmise campus traditions are of considerable value to a number of institutions of higher education This research contributed to the topic through an exploration of the value of campus traditions in higher education At Samford University, in relation to the tradition of Step Sing, this value, in particular, rested in community, bonding, unity, connections, and identity Discussion The study’s research questions focused on identifying the value of this campus tradition from the perspective of students, personnel, and the community as a whole The identified themes outlined various perceptions of value and revealed an agreement amongst participants While students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni may 24 differ in their experience with this campus tradition, their understanding of its value proved consistent Each identified theme found support in multiple perspectives and illustrated the validity of the value of campus traditions The value of this specific campus tradition seemed well known around campus Although participants seldom used the same terminology as the identified themes, their language remained consistent with these ideas Participants believed this tradition held value for themselves, others, and the community In a participant’s understanding of its value, the enduring legacy of this campus tradition was also highlighted Individuals who participated in the tradition or simply experienced its value first-hand as an observer desired to see it continue for others to experience Furthermore, even individuals with a minimal personal attachment to the tradition believed it possessed valuable characteristics worth furthering These countless understandings of this tradition’s value contribute to its persistence and enduring legacy Implications for Practice In light of these research findings regarding the value of campus tradition, a number of implications for practice among higher education professionals emerged To begin, practitioners should promote beneficial campus traditions Campus traditions like Step Sing involve a great deal of the community, generate positive results, and appear generally well received, making them worthy of institutional encouragement The promotion of these traditions can come in the form of verbal support, finances, or provision of other resources to uphold the tradition Institutional support for campus traditions demonstrates not only buy-in but also belief in the value the tradition carries 25 This institutional belief benefits students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni who have the opportunity to join in supporting the campus tradition Additionally, many campus traditions continue each year simply because they become rituals their respective institutions “have always done.” Higher education professionals should ensure these traditions hold priority not simply for the sake of rote habit but because of their value and significance Identifying the value and importance of traditions provides more opportunities for support, ensuring an enduring future for these traditions When the value of these traditions remains unidentified, traditions may lose their value or larger purpose within the campus community Moreover, communicating the value of campus traditions should become a priority of higher education professionals Rather than just stating traditions have value, practitioners should pinpoint the value and communicate it to the institutional community Identifying specific value encourages practitioners in the importance and significance of the work they with campus traditions Furthermore, when students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni understand the value, purpose, and significance of a tradition, they appear more likely to take part in it and encourage it Informing others of the value of traditions creates more support to rally around and further traditions for years to come Finally, if campus traditions become detrimental, higher education professionals must respond Detrimental campus traditions can harm students, create barriers rather than unity, encourage negative habits, and leave the community in a worse state than before the tradition occurred Campus traditions posing such challenges must be eliminated or reinvented to carry value at their college or university Their elimination or 26 reinvention needs to be communicated to the campus community Higher education professionals should explain the tradition’s current detriment and the plan of action to remove or improve the tradition Implications for Research As a result of these findings, several implications for future research also surfaced Initially, utilizing the identified themes of value in campus tradition, further efforts could explore how to create those valuable traits in new traditions, thus developing more valuable campus traditions This further research might focus on gaining an understanding of the development of campus traditions in order to generate and enhance their value Research could focus on the history of existing campus traditions, how their value established new traditions, what happens to create value, and how to create new and valuable campus traditions Further research could also explore how to make existing campus traditions more valuable Countless campus traditions exist at colleges and universities around the country This further research could explore ways to alter existing traditions to enhance their value and strive toward achieving the identified themes of value in campus traditions Research could identify one or more existing campus traditions in higher education and utilize strategies to enhance the community, bonding, unity, connections, and identity associated with the tradition Still, further research should continue to explore beneficial campus traditions, as well as harmful campus traditions, and identify how to distinguish between them All students differ from each other; thus, a campus tradition benefitting one student may cause harm to another However, numerous traditions are generally identified as 27 beneficial because of the value they carry or harmful due to the value they lack Further research could continue to investigate how to promote valuable traditions and eliminate or reinvent harmful traditions Limitations While this study identifies the value of campus traditions in higher education, it also comes with limitations First, the breadth of the study remained relatively small Just as all colleges and universities are unique, so are their campus traditions While most of the identified themes of the value of campus traditions could apply to the traditions of other institutions, this research proved limited in scope As a result, efforts to extend this research need also to factor in the unique qualities of each campus and the individuals it represents Second, the student involvement in the Step Sing tradition appears relatively incomparable simply because it involves one third of the undergraduate student population With such vast involvement, every person in the Samford community knows the Step Sing tradition In fact, very few individuals would likely offer anything negative to say in regards to Step Sing or would speak hesitantly if they did The sheer size of this tradition possibly generated bias in the interviews due to the tradition’s powerful and commanding presence on campus Third, this research took place during the summer when fewer students were present on campus The researcher might have gained slightly different insights during the school year with altered or additional interview participants Additionally, had the interviews taken place closer to the Step Sing event in February, results may prove extreme due to the immediacy of the campus tradition 28 Conclusion Research at Samford University regarding Step Sing revealed the value of this campus tradition Students, faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni alike understand this tradition’s long-standing history, powerful present, and enduring future due to its value The value of Step Sing, and many other campus traditions, lies in community, bonding, unity, connections, and identity Simon Bronner, a professor of American studies and folklore at Pennsylvania State University-Harrisburg and author of Campus Traditions: Folklore From the OldTime College to the Modern Mega-University, believed whole-heartedly in the value of campus traditions in the lives of students In particular, Bronner claimed, “With very few ways of acknowledging adulthood in American society, campus traditions serve as important coming-of-age events” (Schmalz, 2015, para 1) Higher education practitioners must see these events as significant and begin to understand the value of campus traditions Samford University’s Step Sing campus tradition in many ways provides a unique window into the nature of that value 29 References Allan, E J., & Madden M (2008) Hazing in view: College students at risk Retrieved from http://www.stophazing.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/06/hazing_in_view_web1.pdf Anderson, E H., & Spencer, M H (2002) Cognitive representations of AIDS: A phenomenological study Qualitative Health Research, 12, 1338–1352 doi:10.1177/1049732302238747 Applebome, P (1996) Dixie rising: How the south is shaping American values, politics, and culture New York, NY: New York Times Books Birnbaum, R (1988) How colleges work: The cybernetics of academic organization and leadership San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers Boyer, E L (1987) College: The undergraduate experience in America New York, NY: Harper & Row, Publishers Bronner, S J (2011) Explaining traditions: Folk behavior in modern culture Lexington, KY, USA: University Press of Kentucky Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com Bronner, S J (2012) Campus traditions: Folklore from the old-time college to the modern mega-university Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi Bruns, G L (1991) What is tradition? New Literary History, 22(1), 1–21 Retrieved from http://bit.ly/29YdyK8 30 The College Board (n.d.) Samford University BigFuture Retrieved from https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-university-search/samford-university Creswell, J W (2013) Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.) Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications Easterling, M (1988, February 11) Dancing on campus officially sanctioned by president Samford Crimson Emrich, D (1972) Folklore on the American land Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Company Fearn-Banks, K (2002) Crisis communication: A casebook approach Mahwayh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc Flynt, S (2001) 160 years of Samford University: For God, for learning, forever Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing Graburn, N H H (2000) What is tradition? Museum Anthropology, 24(2/3), 6–11 doi:10.1525/mua.2000.24.2-3.6 Green, J (2014, September 3) 40 tremendous college traditions – mental floss list show (Ep.220) [Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0_nddUUlQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player Gross, D (1992) The past in ruins: Tradition and the critique of modernity Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press Handler, R., & Linnekin, J (1984) Tradition, genuine or spurious Journal of American Folklore, 97, 273–290 doi:10.2307/540610 Holmes, B (2000, February 23) Lose Step Sing, find some real collegiate tradition Samford Crimson, pp 31 Horowitz, H L (1987) Campus life: Undergraduate cultures from the end of the eighteenth century to the present Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press John Brown University (n.d.) Athletics: Best technical foul in all of sports Retrieved from http://www.jbu.edu/athletics/tp_game/ Joyner, C W (1999) Shared traditions: Southern history and folk culture Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Press Komives, S R., & Voodard, Jr, D B (2003) Student services: A handbook for the profession San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Kuh, G D, & Whitt, E J (1988) Culture in American colleges and universities In C Brown (Ed.), Organization & governance in higher education (5th ed., pp 160– 169) Boston, MA: Pearson [“Miss Reba Sloan”] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL Moustakas, C (1994) Phenomenological research methods Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Pattee, F L (1928) Penn State traditions Old Main Bell, 5(1), 3-8 [Regulations & Procedures] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL Rudolph, F (1990) The American college & university: A history Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press Samford University (1951, October 12) Campus step-sing Tuesday at p.m Howard Crimson 32 Samford University (1952, February 15) All-campus sings resume Tuesday Howard Crimson, pp Samford University (n.d.a) History of Samford University Retrieved from https://www.samford.edu/about/history Samford University (n.d.b) Samford University by the numbers Retrieved from http://www.samford.edu/about/by-the-numbers Samford University (n.d.c) Traditions Retrieved from http://samford.edu/about/traditions/ Schmalz, J (2015) Why campus traditions matter The Chronicle of Higher Education Retrieved from http://chronicle.com/interactives/college_traditions Sigma Chi "Alley Cats" Step Sing 2015 Sweepstakes Winner (2015, February 14) Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUuQBCPTCzU [“Sound of Music”] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL [Step Sing] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL Step Sing 2015 (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.samford.edu/stepsing/[Step Sing leadership] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL [Step Sing 50th Anniversary] The Samford University Archives Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL Strange, C C., & Banning, J H (2001) Educating by design: Creating campus learning environments that work San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc 33 Thelin, J R (2004) A history of American higher education Baltimore, MD: The John Hopkins University Press Tradition (n.d.) In Oxford Dictionaries Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/tradition University of Arkansas (n.d.) Arkansas traditions Retrieved from http://www.uark.edu/athletics/traditions.php Value (n.d.) In Oxford Dictionaries Retrieved from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/value Van Jura, M J (2010) Tradition today: How student affairs professionals can strengthen and preserve campus traditions The Vermont Connection: The Student Affairs Journal of the University of Vermont, 31, 107–116 Retrieved from http://scholarworks.uvm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1097&context=tvc van Manen, M (1990) Researching lived experience New York, NY: State University of New York Press 34 Appendix A Interview Questions Please state your name What is your role with/connection to Samford University? What is your role with/connection to Step Sing as a member of the Samford Community? What has your experience been within that role? How you define tradition in relation to a college community? In what way(s), if at all, does tradition play a role within the Samford community? What traditions, if any, play the most critical role(s)? What is Step Sing? What are Step Sing’s core functions and/or what is its purpose? What is Step Sing’s enduring value? What is the legacy of Step Sing? What role does Step Sing play within the present Samford community and previous members of the immediate community such as alumni? 10 In what way(s), if at all, does Step Sing qualify as a tradition at Samford? 11 If Step Sing were to cease to take place, what void, if any, would it leave in the Samford community or in Samford’s fabric of traditions? 12 Is there anything else about the Step Sing Tradition that I need to know? 35 Appendix B Consent Form Research Participant Consent Form Researcher Information Campus Traditions Morgan Morris Taylor University Samford University Purpose of research Research the value of campus traditions Procedures Work with Samford University faculty and staff to determine students and personnel related to campus tradition to interview Contact students and personnel to see if they would be interested in participating Conduct and record 1-on-1 interviews with each of the 10-12 students and 10-12 personnel Transcribe interviews, organize data into trend groups, and draw conclusions Duration The research will occur summer 2015 Risk There are no known nor anticipated risks in this research Any risks are equivalent to those that students would expect to encounter in daily life Benefits Direct benefits are unknown Compensation Participants will receive no compensation Voluntary Participation Involvement in this research is voluntary You must be 18 years of age or older to participate in the research 36 Confidentiality With the consent of the participant, identities and names may be used in the findings of this research Due to the nature of this research, names of participants may be used to enhance and support the final results Sharing the Results The findings of this research will be shared in a Thesis Defense Additionally, this research, including the results, may be used for presentation at conference(s), for publication(s), or for other purposes to share with practitioners and researchers in the field of education Right to Refuse or Withdraw Participation is voluntary, and students may withdraw at any time Who to Contact If you have any questions at any time concerning this research, contact the Researcher, Morgan Morris at morgan_morris@taylor.edu or the Research Supervisor, Dr Todd Ream at tdream@taylor.edu This proposal has been reviewed and approved by Taylor University’s IRB, which is a committee whose task it is to make sure that research participants are protected from harm Questions regarding institutional research, including this research project, can be directed to Sue Gavin, Chair IRB, 765-998-4315 or ssgavin@taylor.edu You may ask questions concerning the research before signing the following consent form I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS CONSENT FORM, ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RESEARCH PROJECT AND AM PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT Participant’s Signature Date Participant’s Name _ Researcher’s Signature Date Credit: Purdue University IRB Guidelines http://www.purdue.edu/research/vpr/rschadmin/rschoversight/humans/forms/Consent_Fo rm_with_instructions_8-07.pdf ... What is the student perception of the value of campus traditions? What is the personnel perception of the value of campus traditions? What is the value of campus traditions? Chapter Literature... what happens to create value, and how to create new and valuable campus traditions Further research could also explore how to make existing campus traditions more valuable Countless campus traditions. .. historical context of this campus tradition Interviews and archival research together aided the researcher in gaining a wider perspective of the value of the campus tradition within the campus